Page 39 - Occupational Health & Safety, July 2017

■ Drive defensively, keep your eyes moving, and check surroundings in your mirrors every 6-8 seconds.
■ Pay attention to all road signs, par- ticularly when approaching road construc- tion zones.
OSHA standards that regulate work in traffic are found in 29 CFR Subpart G3 with Part VI of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) incorporated by reference. The MUTCD4 requires em- ployers to assign a competent person to each job site. The definition of a competent person is “one who is capable of identifying existing and predicable hazards in the sur- roundings, or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to elimi- nate them.”
The competent person has the respon- sibility to conduct frequent job site inspec- tions, including materials, equipment, and traffic control devices, along with conduct- ing regular, ongoing worker safety training.
The key to worker safety is visibil- ity through the wearing of high-visibility safety apparel meeting the requirements of ANSI 107 to ensure the worker can be seen from all sides. Temporary traffic con- trol zones need to be designed with 1) an advance warning area, 2) transition area, 3) activity area, and 4) a termination area. Motorists need to be alert to signs, signals, and barricades by keeping their eyes on the road and their hands upon the wheel.
Head-to-Toe PPE
When thinking of head protection, the three leading causes of traumatic brain inju- ry reveal a need to consider more than just the use of protective headgear. While a hard hat is most evident, a full-body harness with lanyard, high-visibility clothing, and proper footwear with or without toe guards are es- sential under specific work conditions.
Remember, PPE can help protect your head from hazards, but your first line of defense is using your head to eliminate hazards and implement engineering and administrative controls.
Greg LaRochelle is a Safety Management Consultant for The MEMIC Group (Port- land, Maine). He has more than 25 years of experience in the environment, health, and safety field, having begun his safety career as a field technician for an envi-
ronmental consulting firm and eventually becoming operations manager. He then worked as a safety engineer/ industrial hy- gienist for a major Maine company that is an OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star site, which was an invaluable experience in terms of becoming familiar
REFERENCES
with an outstanding safety program. He earned a bachelor’s degree in medical bi- ology from the University of New England and a master’s degree in anatomy from the Ohio State University College of Medicine, and he is a Workers’ Compensation Profes- sional (WCP).
1. https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9785
2. https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=18843 3. https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10911 4. https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
www.ohsonline.com
3544
MAKE THE
SWITCH TO GRIPPY FLOOR MAT
RENTAL RUGS GRIPPY FLOOR MAT Crappy. Dangerous. Safe. Attractive.
Rental rugs sliding all over the place? Trips and falls are waiting to happen. We’ve got a whole NEW solution to share with you. One that never shifts, ripples or flips over. It’s not magic — it’s our super-safe, adhesive-backed Grippy Mat. Only from New Pig and our fine distribution partners.
GRIPPY FLOOR MAT
NO SLIP. NO TRIP. ALL GRIP.
Switch today with a special offer at grippymat.com or call 1-800-HOT-HOGS
26_GRP_OHS_HalfPgPrintAd.indd 1
Circle 25 on card. 39 5/30/17 10:13 AM